Brackets for Temporary Support of a Rail Between Upright Posts During Construction of a Fence or the Like

ABSTRACT

For temporarily supporting a rail during installation between a pair of upright posts, a bracket features an inner face for placement against a lateral side of the first post, and an outer face lying opposite the inner face. An upright bracing flange projects inwardly from the inner face of the bracket at an upright edge thereof to embrace a corner of the first post in squared relation thereto. A seat extends perpendicularly away from the bracing flange to receive an underside of the rail and place an end of the rail closely adjacent the lateral side of the first post. An upright shoulder is situated above the seat in perpendicular relation thereto and parallel relation to the bracing flange to receiving a face of the rail. Seating and abutting the rail with the seat and the upright shoulder of the bracket thus squares the rail with the post.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/642,815, filed Mar. 14, 2018, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to devices for use in construction of a fence or other structure in which horizontal rails are suspended between upright posts, and more particularly to devices for temporarily supporting the two ends of the rail to allow properly aligned installation by a single person.

BACKGROUND

Brackets and other devices for supporting of a fence rail between two fence posts during construction of a fence have previously been proposed to reduce labour requirements by allowing a single installer properly align and fasten the rail in place, thus avoiding the need for two installation personnel to align, hold and fasten the rail.

Among the solutions proposed in the prior art are permanent hardware brackets that are mounted to neighbouring posts, and to which the rail is subsequently fastened, whereby the brackets become a permanent part of the fence structure. These brackets are typically formed from a bent metal plate with a galvanized coating, and thus detract from the aesthetic of a purely wooden fence construction in which wooden rails are directly fastened to wooden posts. The permanent brackets also represent an added material cost relative to a purely wooden construction.

Other solutions instead employ supports that are removably fastened to the neighbouring posts to hold the respective ends of the rail in place until the rail ends is fastened directly to the posts, at which point the temporary supports are removed from the posts and re-used to hang the next rail between the next pair of neighbouring posts.

One such solution is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,673,903, where a temporary fence rail support features a C-shaped frame clamped in place around three sides of a post in order to support the end of a rail in an offset position where a face of the rail abuts against an outer side of the post. The device is incapable of placing the rail in an inline position contained entirety between the two posts with the ends of the rail abutted against lateral sides of the posts that face toward one another. The device also lacks means for automatic alignment in a properly squared orientation on the post.

U.S. Patent Application Publication 2014/0138891 discloses a temporary fence rail support in the form of a flexible strap that hangs from a fastener driven into the fence post. The flexible strap is only capable of providing support, and does not provide any guidance for proper alignment of the rail on the post. The reference once again focuses on fastening of fence rails in offset positions at outer sides of the fence posts.

U.S. Pat. No. 9,344,674 discloses another temporary fence rail support that once again is specifically designed to support a rail board in offset relation to the post at the outer side thereof, and lacks any means for self-alignment of the support on the post to ensure proper alignment of the rail.

U.S. Pat. No. 683,909 discloses a scaffold bracket with a closed frame that spans fully around an upright to post on all four sides thereof. The frame carries a pivotal dog or grip block at one outer side of the post while placing a rail holder at the opposing outer side of the post to once again support the rail in an offset position. The holder is removable from the frame in order to open up the respective end thereof and enable placement of the frame in an embracing position around the post. Once again, the design is intended for offset rail placement, and is not operable to support a rail in an inline position between lateral sides of the posts.

U.K. Patent GB593044 discloses permanent metal brackets mountable to the lateral sides of neighbouring fence posts for in-line placement of the rail between the two posts. However, the brackets rely on pre-drilled bores in the posts to guide the placement of the brackets in properly aligned positions thereon, and the rails are fastened to the brackets, which remain in place as a permanent part of the fence structure.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,373,988 discloses a removable beam seat for supporting a beam horizontally between a pair of vertical columns. Designed for use with structural steel, the beam seat employs bulky, complex design that occupies all four sides of the column, features two clamps for tightening on the column in one direction, and a wedge for mechanism for tightening on the column in the other direction.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,806,729, 9,033,314 and 9,181,725 discloses devices for supporting wooden rails on round pipe-shaped fence posts, but once again are designed to place the rails in offset relation outside the posts, rather than in inline relation between the posts.

International PCT Application Publication WO201541524 discloses a temporary fence panel support that is designed for in-line placement of a fence panel between two posts. The device simply hangs from a top end of the post without clamps or other moving parts that are relied on in many of the other prior art solutions summarized above. The lower part of the support that carries the bottom of the fence panel is automatically placed at a suitable elevation downward from the top of the post, but the support lacks any means for properly squaring the panel relative to the post. Instead, the installation process relies on separate panel connectors to set the final position in which the panel is to be fastened in place, specifically by fastened attachment to the connectors, not to the posts themselves.

In view of the forgoing shortcomings of the prior art, there remains room for improved devices and techniques for temporary support of rail members between neighbouring upright posts during construction of a fence or other post/rail structure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a device for temporarily supporting an end of a rail during installation thereof between a pair of upright posts, said device comprising:

a bracket for placement on a first upright post at a lateral side thereof that faces toward a second upright post spaced therefrom, said bracket comprising:

-   -   an inner face for placement against the lateral side of the         first post;     -   an outer face lying opposite the inner face to face toward the         second post;     -   an upright bracing flange projecting inwardly from the inner         face of the bracket at an upright perimeter edge thereof to         reach inwardly from the lateral side of the first post against         an adjacent outer side thereof so that the inner face and the         bracing flange cooperatively embrace a corner of the post at         which the lateral side and the adjacent outer side intersect,         thereby squaring the bracket relative to said corner of the         post;     -   a seat extending perpendicularly away from the bracing flange to         receive an underside of the rail atop said seat in a position         placing an end of the rail in close adjacency or abutment with         the lateral side of the first post; and     -   an upright shoulder situated above the seat in perpendicular         relation thereto and parallel relation to the bracing flange for         receiving a face of the rail in abutted contact against the         upright shoulder, whereby seating and abutment of the rail         against the seat and the upright shoulder of the bracket acts to         square the rail with the post.

Preferably the seat comprises a seating flange projecting outwardly away from the outer face of the bracket to define a widened seat area whose width exceeds a thickness dimension of the bracket measured between the inner and outer faces thereof.

Preferably there is a tape measure slot in which a catch tab of a tape measure in insertable to enable a post-to-post measurement between the two posts after installation of the device.

Preferably the shoulder comprises a shoulder flange projecting outwardly away from the outer face of the bracket to define a shoulder width that exceeds a thickness dimension of the bracket measured between the inner and outer faces thereof.

Preferably the tape measure slot is located at an intersection of the shoulder flange and the outer face of the bracket. Preferably the bracket comprises a main portion defining the inner and outer faces and having a vertical leg from which a horizontal leg reaches perpendicularly outward at an elevation below an upper end of the vertical leg, the seat resides atop the horizontal leg, the upright shoulder resides at an inner side of the vertical leg from which the horizontal leg extends, and the bracing flange resides at an opposing outer side of the vertical leg.

Preferably the main portion of the bracket is L-shaped and consists solely of said vertical and horizontal legs.

Preferably the bracket comprises a bent plate having a main portion that defines the inner-and outer faces of the bracket and from which the bracing flange is integrally bent.

Preferably the seating flange is integrally bent from the main portion of the bent plate.

Preferably an entirety of the bracket is defined by a singular bent plate having a main portion which defines the inner and outer faces and from which other portions of the bracket are integrally bent.

Preferably the main portion of the bent plate has a vertical leg from which a horizontal leg reaches perpendicularly outward at an elevation below an upper end of the vertical leg, the seat resides atop the horizontal leg, the upright shoulder resides at an inner side of the vertical leg from which the horizontal leg extends, and the bracing flange resides at an opposing outer side of the vertical leg.

Preferably the bent plate is L-shaped and consists solely of said vertical and horizontal legs.

Preferably a fastening hole penetrates the bracket from the outer face thereof to the inner face thereof to enable temporary fastening of the bracket to the lateral side of the post through said fastening hole.

In one embodiment, a seating depth of the bracket measured from the shoulder to the bracing flange equates to a half-width of the post minus a half-thickness of the rail, whereby the bracket is configured to center the rail across the lateral side of the post.

In another embodiment, a seating depth of the bracket measured from the shoulder to the bracing flange equates to a full-width of the post minus a full-thickness of the rail, whereby the bracket is configured to place the rail in flush relation to a third side of the post that intersects the lateral side of the post at which the bracket is placed and that is situated opposite the adjacent outer side of the post that is embraced by the bracing flange.

Preferably there is a visual marker situated on the bracket and spaced above the seat by a distance that equals a width of the rail, whereby placement of the visual marker in alignment with a top end of the post places a top edge of the rail flush the top end of the post when the rail is placed atop the seat.

Preferably the visual marker is an upper end of the bracket or an upper end of the shoulder.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a device for temporarily supporting an end of a rail during installation thereof between a pair of upright posts, said bracket comprising:

a planar main portion having a vertical leg that is coplanar with a horizontal leg that reaches perpendicularly outward from the vertical leg at a spaced elevation below a top end of said vertical leg, said planar main portion having opposing inner and outer faces;

an upright bracing flange reaching perpendicularly inward from the vertical leg of the planar main portion at an upright outer edge of said vertical leg that resides opposite the horizontal leg of the planar main portion;

a seating flange reaching perpendicularly outward from the horizontal leg of the planar main portion at a horizontal upper edge of said horizontal leg; and

a shoulder flange reaching perpendicularly outward from the vertical leg of the planar main portion at an upright inner edge of said vertical leg that resides opposite the upright outer edge thereof.

Preferably the bracket comprises a bent L-shaped plate that defines the L-shaped main portion, and of which the upright bracing flange, the seating flange and the shoulder flange are integrally bent portions.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of installing a rail between first and second upright posts that have facing-together lateral sides that intersect adjacent outer sides of said uprights posts at outer corners thereof, said method comprising:

-   -   (a) with a bracket device having an inside corner, a support         seat and a shoulder that resides in perpendicular relation to         said support seat, achieving a squared position of said bracket         device on the first upright post by embracing the inside corner         of said bracket about the outside corner of the first upright         post, said squared position acting to (i) place the support seat         of said bracket device adjacent to the lateral side of the first         upright post in perpendicular relation to the outside corner of         the first upright post, and (ii) place the shoulder of said         bracket device adjacent to said lateral side of the first         upright post in parallel relation to the outside corner of the         first upright post at a distance inward therefrom;     -   (b) with said inside corner of the bracket device embraced about         the outside corner of the first upright post, fastening the         bracket device to the first upright post to maintain the squared         position of the bracket device thereon;     -   (c) seating an underside of the rail atop the support seat of         the bracket device with a first end of the rail in close         adjacency or abutment with the lateral side of the first upright         post and with a face of the rail in abutment against the         shoulder of the bracket device, and, with a second end of the         rail supported on the second upright post, fastening the first         end of the rail to the first upright post; and     -   (d) unfastening and removing the bracket device from the first         upright post.

The method preferably includes, before step (c) installing a second matching bracket device on the second post by performing steps (a) and (b) with said second bracket device at said second post, and during step (c), using said second bracket device to support the second end of the rail during fastening of the first end of the rail to the first post.

Preferably, achievement of the squared position in step (a) comprises placing a visual marker of the bracket device in alignment with a top end of the first post, and thereby automatically setting an elevation of the seat at a downward distance the top end of the post that equals a predetermined width dimension of the rail so that placement of the rail on the seat in a widthwise-up orientation automatically places a top edge of the rail flush with the top end of the post.

Preferably the visual marker of the bracket device is an upper end of the bracket device or an upper end of the shoulder thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a left bracket of a first embodiment rail support system, as viewed from an outer side of said left bracket.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the left bracket of FIG. 1 from an opposing inner side thereof.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating use of the first embodiment rail support system, with the left bracket of FIG. 1 mounted on a left post and cooperating with a corresponding right bracket mounted on a right post to suspend a rail between said posts.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are closeup perspective views of the left and right brackets, respectively, of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a metal blank for producing either bracket of the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a left bracket of a second embodiment rail support system, as viewed from the outer side of said left bracket.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a metal blank for producing either bracket of the second embodiment.

FIGS. 8A and 8B are closeup perspective views of the left and right brackets of the second embodiment in use.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a right bracket of a third embodiment rail support system, as viewed from the inner side of said right bracket.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a metal blank for producing either bracket of the third embodiment.

FIGS. 11A and 11B are closeup perspective views of the left and right brackets of the third embodiment in use with a first size of rail.

FIGS. 12A and 12B are closeup perspective views of the left and right brackets of the third embodiment in use with a larger second size of rail.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a right bracket of a fourth embodiment rail support system, as viewed from the inner side of said left bracket.

FIG. 14 is a plan view of a metal blank for producing either bracket of the fourth embodiment.

FIGS. 15A and 15B are closeup perspective views of the left and right brackets of the fourth embodiment in use with the first size of rail.

FIGS. 16A and 16B are closeup perspective views of the left and right brackets of the fourth embodiment in use with the larger second size of rail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates one bracket 10 of a two-bracket rail support system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The bracket 10 is shown from opposing sides in FIGS. 1 and 2, and is referred to herein as the left bracket intended for use together with a cooperating right bracket of mirrored configuration to the left bracket. Each bracket is intended to temporarily support a respective end of a fence rail on a respective one of two neighbouring fence posts during construction of a fence, as shown in FIG. 3. Each fence post 100, 102 stands vertically upright from an area of ground beneath which the bottom end of the fence post is buried to anchor it in this upright position. Each fence post has a square cross-sectional shape in horizontal cross-sectional planes that lie perpendicularly to the central vertical axis of the fence post. Once installed, the rail 104 spans horizontally between the two vertical posts 100, 102 in elevated relation above the ground in an in-line position between the two posts. As shown, the rail may be positioned flush with the top ends 100 d, 102 d of said posts.

The present invention is particularly useful for wooden fence construction, where the posts and rails are respective pieces of dimensional lumber, for example 4×4-inch or 6×6-inch wooden posts and 2×4-inch or 2×6-inch wooden rails, though similarly configured brackets could likewise be used with posts and rails of various sizes and material compositions, whether for fence construction or construction of other structures that likewise requiring stringing of horizontal rails between neighbouring upright posts. It will be appreciated that the terms vertical and horizontal are used herein solely for the purpose of differentiating between the upright posts 100, 102 and the laterally spanning rail 104 suspended therebetween, and is in no way intended to specify that the posts and rails must occupy truly vertical and truly horizontal orientations, as in practical terms, the actual orientations may deviate slightly from true horizontal and vertical due to imperfections in the placement and shape of the posts and rails.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the physical structure of the left bracket 10 shown therein is now described in notable detail. In the interest of brevity, the physical structure of the right bracket is not explicitly described in full, since the left and right brackets share the same general configuration, and possess mirrored symmetry to one another in terms of the directions in which flange-like elements of the structure project relative to other elements. The bracket 10 is formed entirety of a bent metal plate having an L-shaped planar main portion 12 from which a plurality of flanges perpendicularly project at positions lying along respective perimeter edges of the L-shaped planar main portion 12. These flanges include a vertically upright bracing flange 14, a horizontal seating flange 16 and a vertically upright shoulder flange 18.

The L-shaped main portion 12 features a vertical leg 20, and a horizontal leg 22 that reaches perpendicularly outward from the horizontal leg at the bottom end thereof so as to reside at an elevation spaced downwardly from the top end 20 a of the vertical leg 20. The terms vertical and horizontal are again used to generally denote the orientations in which the described elements reside during use of the bracket when installed on a respective vertical post. The two legs 20, 22 of the planar main portion 12 are coplanar with one another, thus occupying a shared primary plane in which a majority of the bent metal plate's overall surface area resides. The two legs 20, 22 collectively define opposing inner and outer L-shaped faces 24, 26 of the bracket that lie opposite one another across the plate thickness of planar main portion 12 and face outwardly from the primary plane in opposite directions.

The bracing flange 14 spans a full height of the bracket from the bottom perimeter edge of the horizontal leg to the top end 20 a of the vertical leg. The bracing flange resides at a vertically upright outer perimeter edge 20 b of the vertical leg 20 at a side thereof opposite that from which the horizontal leg 22 extends. The bracing flange 14 lies normal to the planar main portion 12, and juts perpendicularly outward from the inner face 24 thereof. The seating flange 16 and the shoulder flange 18 also lie normal to the planar main portion 12, but project perpendicularly outward from the opposing outer face 26 so as to extend in the opposite direction than the bracing flange 14. The seating flange 16 fully spans a horizontal upper perimeter edge 22 a of the planar main portion's horizontal leg 22, and thus lies horizontally perpendicular to the vertically upright bracing flange 14. The shoulder flange 18 spans a vertically upright inner edge 20 c of the vertical leg that lies opposite to the upright outer edge 20 b from which the bracing flange 14 projects. The shoulder flange 18 thus lies in parallel relation to the bracing flange 14 across the vertical leg, and in perpendicular relation to the seating flange 16 above a proximal end thereof at or near the intersection point between the horizontal upper edge 22 a of the horizontal leg 22 and the upright inner edge 20 c of the vertical leg 20.

A hanging aperture 28 penetrates the vertical leg 20 of the planar main portion 12 near the top end 20 a thereof, and as shown may have an elongated-slot shape in the horizontal direction in which the bracing flange 14 and shoulder flange 18 are separated from one another. This hanging aperture 28 is useful to enable hanging support of the two brackets of the system on a merchandising display in a retail sales environment. A fastening hole 30 penetrates the horizontal leg 22 of the planar main portion 12 from the inner face 24 to the opposing outer face 26 thereof at a generally central point on the horizontal leg 22. It is via this fastening hole 30 that a suitable fastener, e.g. a threaded screw fastener 32, is driven through the planar main portion 12 of the bracket 10 in order to support the bracket in an installed position on a respective fence post.

FIG. 4A illustrates the left bracket 10 in such an installed position on the left fencepost 100 of FIG. 3. The bracket 10 is installed on a lateral side 100 a of the left fencepost 100 that faces toward the neighbouring right fencepost 102. The lateral sides of the fencepost refer to the two opposing parallel sides thereof which face along the fence line, as opposed to the two opposing outer sides that face outwardly away from the fence line. Of these two outer sides of the post, the front outer side 100 b refers to that which is visible in the foreground of the drawings, as opposed to the rear outer side that faces into the plane of the drawing page. The flat inner face 24 of the bracket 10 is placed flush against the lateral side 100 a of the fence post 100 so that the bracing flange 14 spans a short distance inwardly over the front outer side 100 b of the fence post 100 from the outside corner 100 c of the post at which the lateral and front outer sides 100 a, 100 b intersect one another. Diverging at ninety degrees to one another, the inner face 24 and bracing flange 14 of the bracket create an inside corner therebetween, which embraces conformingly over the ninety-degree outside corner 100 c of the square post 100.

This embraced fitting of the bracket 10 over the corner 100 c of the post so that the bracing flange 14 of the bracket abuts in flush conforming contact against the front outer side 100 b of the post while the main portion 12 of the bracket abuts in flush conforming against the lateral side 100 a of the post automatically squares the bracket 10 in relation to the corner 100 c of the post. This automatically places the horizontal leg 22 of the bracket 10 in perpendicular relation to the corner 100 c of the post, and automatically places the vertical leg 20 of the bracket in parallel relation to the corner 100 c of the post. Accordingly, the seating flange 16 situated atop the horizontal leg 22 of the bracket spans perpendicularly across the lateral side 100 a of the post 100 from the front corner 100 c of the post toward the opposing rear corner thereof, while projecting perpendicularly outward from the lateral side 100 a of the post toward the neighbouring post 102. The seating flange thus creates a support seat spanning horizontally across the lateral side of the post to receive the bottom edge of the rail atop said seat in a position placing the end of the rail in abutting contact or close adjacency to the lateral side 100 a of the post 100.

Meanwhile, the shoulder flange 18 stands perpendicularly upright from the seating flange 16 in parallel relation to the corner 100 c of the post at a spaced distance inwardly therefrom along the lateral side 100 a thereof to define an upright shoulder against which a face 104 a of the rail can be placed. Accordingly, with the bottom edge of the rail 104 seated atop the seating flange 16, pushing the face 104 a of the rail 104 against the upright shoulder flange 18 aligns the face 104 a of the rail in parallel alignment to the corner 100 c of the post, while the seating flange 16 holds the bottom edge of the rail in perpendicular relation to the corner 100 c of the post. Accordingly, simple placement of the bracket against the lateral side of the post with the bracing flange 14 embraced against the adjacent front outer side 100 b of the post automatically squares the bracket in proper alignment on the post, so that once the bracket is fastened to the post through fastener hole 30, seating of the respective end portion of the rail 104 against the perpendicular seating and shoulder flanges 16, 18 of the bracket will automatically place the rail in squared alignment with the post at the lateral side thereof.

In the first embodiment, the height by which the vertical leg 20 and shoulder flange 18 reach upward from the seating flange 16 is equal to an edge-to-edge face width dimension of the rail, for example measuring 3.5-inches to match the finished edge-to-edge face width of a 2×4 lumber rail. As a result, seating the end of the rail atop the seating flange 16 acts to place the top edge 104 b of the rail 104 flush with the top end 20 a of the bracket 10. This way, when the bracket is used on a flat-top fence post 100, the top end 20 a of the bracket 10 serves as a visual indicator by which the appropriate mounting height of the bracket on the post can be gauged during installation of the bracket onto the post. When placing the bracket in its squared-off position embracing the corner 100 c of the post, the top end 20 a of the bracket 10 is aligned flush with the flat top end 100 d of the post. This way, when the rail 104 is seated on the bracket 10, the top edge 104 b of the rail 100 will automatically be placed in flush alignment with the flat top end 100 d of the post 100. Such top end alignment of the bracket and rail is useful when constructing a “capped rail” fence, where capping pieces of lumber are subsequently placed in edge-out orientation in positions mounted atop the installed rails and spanning along the fence line from rail to rail overtop of the flat-topped posts. Alternatively, for a different look, the brackets and rails may be set a short elevation downward from the top ends of the posts in order to position the rails further down the post, for example for the purpose of a “capped post” fence construction, where the posts feature ornamentally shaped top ends situated above the rails of the fence.

Having described the structure of the left bracket and the process of mounting the left bracket on the left post 100, attention is turned to FIG. 4B, which shows the right bracket 10A mounted to the right post 102. Right bracket 10A has the same general structure, with an L-shaped planar main portion 12 having vertical and horizontal legs 20, 22; and a set of bracing, seating and shoulder flanges 14, 16, 18 jutting perpendicularly from the L-shaped planar main portion 12 at respective perimeter edges thereof. The only difference is that each flange 14, 16, 18 of the right bracket 10A extends in the opposite direction from the bracket's main portion 12 than the respective flange of the left bracket 10. Right bracket 10A thus embraces the lateral side 102 a and front outer side 102 b of the right post 102 at the outer corner 102 c thereof to square the bracket 10A on the post 102 and thus support the right end of the rail 104 at the lateral side 102 a of right post 102 in squared alignment therewith, just like the left bracket 10 supports the left end of the rail on the left post 100 in properly squared relation thereto.

So, to install the rail 104, a single-person installer places the left bracket 10 on the left post 100 in a self-squaring position thereon embracing the corner 100 c thereof, and removably attaches the left bracket 10 to left post 100 in this squared position by driving a single threaded fastener 32 through fastener hole 32 with a cordless screw drive driver. In the same manner, the same single-person installer likewise places and fastens the right bracket 10A on the right post 102 in the corner-embracing self-squaring position thereon. Each bracket 10, 10A features a tape measure slot 34 therein at the upright inner edge 20 c of the vertical leg 20 of the bracket's main portion 12, where the plane of the shoulder flange 18 intersects the plane of the bracket's outer face 26. This way, after installation of one or both brackets, the single-person installer can insert the catch tab of a tape measure into the tape measure slot 34 of one installed bracket to measure the distance from this tape measure slot 34 at the lateral side of that post to the nearest lateral side of the neighbouring post. This post-to-post measurement can then be used to accurately cut the rail 104 to optimally fit this post-to-post distance. With both brackets installed, the accurately cut rail 104 is then lifted up onto the seating flanges 16 of the two brackets 10, 10A, and pushed flush against the shoulder flanges 18 thereof. The two ends of the rail are then fastened one-by-one to their respective posts 100, 102 by driving additional screw fasteners 36 diagonally through the end of the rail from one or more faces/edges thereof into the post. With the rail fastened in place to the posts, the bracket holding fasteners 32 are removed, thereby freeing the brackets 10, 10A from the posts, and leaving behind an aesthetically pleasing, bracket-free, wood-to-wood joint between the post and rail. The brackets 10, 10A are then re-used to repeat the same rail installation process on the next pair of neighbouring fence posts.

FIG. 5 shows a metal blank 200 from which either bracket 10, 10A of the first embodiment can be formed. The metal blank is a stamped or cut piece of metal plating or sheeting having an oversized L-shape that embodies both the main planar portion 12 of the finished bracket as well as flange portions 114, 116, 118 that are bent out of plane from the main portion 12 to form the respective flanges 14, 16, 18 of the finished bracket. A vertical leg 120 of the oversized L-shape blank has an outer bend line 202 running from the top end 120 a of the vertical leg 120 down to the bottom edge of the blank 200 at a short distance spaced inwardly from an outer upright edge 120 b of the vertical leg in parallel relation thereto.

The vertical leg 120 of the oversized L-shape blank also has an inner bend line 204 running from the top end 120 a of the vertical leg 120 downwardly past the inside corner of the L-shape where the inner edge 120 c of the vertical leg 120 and the upper edge 122 a of the horizontal leg 122 intersect. The horizontal leg 122 of the oversized L-shape blank has an upper bend line 206 running parallel to the upper edge 122 a of the horizontal leg 122 from a distal end 122 b of the horizontal leg furthest from the vertical leg. The upper bend line 206 of the horizontal leg intersects the inner bend line 204 of the vertical leg at a lower end of the inner bend line 204. A slotted or notched cut-out 208 reaches inwardly from the inner corner of the L-shaped blank to the intersection point of the inner and upper bend lines 204, 206 of the vertical and horizontal legs 120, 122, thereby separating the seating flange portion 116 that resides between the horizontal leg's upper edge 122 a and upper bend line 206 from the shoulder flange portion 118 that resides between the vertical leg's inner edge 120 c and the outer bend line 204. The bracing flange portion 114 is similarly defined as the area between the outer edge 120 b of the vertical leg 120 and the outer bend line 202.

The L-shape of the blank 200 is thus referred to as oversized, because the horizontal width of it's vertical leg 120 embodies both the vertical leg of the finished bracket's main portion 12, plus the integrally connected flange portions 114, 118 that are subsequently bent from the plane of the main portion to define the bracing and shoulder flanges 14, 18; while the vertical width of the blank's horizontal leg 122 embodies both the horizontal leg 20 of the finished bracket's main portion 12, plus the integrally connected flange portion 116 that is subsequently bent from the plane of the main portion 12 to define the seating flange 16. The hanging aperture 28 is punched or cut in the vertical leg 120 a of the blank 200 between the inner and outer bend lines thereof, and the tape measure slot 34 is punched or cut in the vertical leg 120 a of the blank 200 along the inner bend line. The fastening hole 30 is drilled, punched or cut in the horizontal leg 122 of the oversized L-shaped blank 200.

To form the finished bracket, the blank 200 is bent by 90-degrees across this outer bend line 202 to create the bracing flange 14 of the finished bracket. The blank is bent ninety degrees about the inner and upper bend lines 204, 206 in a direction opposite that of the bending operation performed at the outer bend line 204 to create the seating and shoulder flanges 16, 18 of the bracket that extend in the opposite direction from the bracing flange 14.

It will be appreciated that the blank 200 and the main portion of the resulting bracket 12 need not necessarily consist solely of an L-shaped area, and for example, other shapes may similarly have diverging legs for defining a horizontal support seat on which the underside of the rail may be seated, and an upright shoulder situated above the support seat for contact by the face of the rail. In the illustrated embodiment, perpendicularly projecting flanges provide this seat and shoulder with an increased width relative to the relatively narrow thickness of the plate-shaped main portion 12 of the bracket to ensure confident seating of the rail 104 atop the seat and against the shoulder. However, in other embodiments where the main portion 12 is sufficiently thick, out-turned seating and shoulder flanges may be unnecessary, as the perimeter edges of the main portion 12 itself may provide a sufficiently wide support seat and shoulder for contacting the bottom edge and face of the rail. Accordingly, the brackets need not necessary be formed by bent metal plates. In another embodiment, each bracket may be a plastic molded piece, whether having seating and shoulder flanges that project from a main post-abutting portion, or just relying on the thickness of this main post-abutting portion to provide a sufficient seat and shoulder width. Likewise, it will be appreciated that while the inner face of the main portion 12 is preferably flat in order to fit flush against the post, the outer face 26 need not necessarily be flat, and so the main portion may deviate from a purely planar configuration having flat opposing sides.

In the first embodiment, a seating depth of each bracket 10, 10 a measured from the shoulder flange 18 to the bracing flange 14, thereby denoting the distance by which the rail 104 is seated from the bracing flange and the front outer side of the post during use of the bracket, equates to a half-width of the post minus a half-thickness of the rail, whereby the bracket is configured to center the rail across the lateral side of the post. So, a bracket designed for use on a 4×4 post (3.5-inch×3.5-inch inch finished size) with a 2×4 rail (1.5-inch×3.5-inch finished size) has a seating depth of ½×(3.5−1.5)=1-inch.

FIGS. 6-8 illustrate second embodiment brackets 10′, 10A′ of the same general configuration to the first embodiment, but merely with different dimensions. In this embodiment, the seating depth measured between the contact and bracing flanges equates to a full-width of the post minus a full-thickness of the rail whereby the bracket is configured to place the rail in flush relation to the rear outer side of the post. So, in the second embodiment, a bracket designed for use on a 4×4 post (3.5-inch×3.5-inch finished size) with a 2×4 rail (1.5-inch×3.5-inch finished size) has a seating depth of 3.5−1.5-inch=2-inches. Therefore, in the second embodiment, the vertical legs of the metal blank 200′ and the finished bracket's main portion 12 are wider than in the first embodiment, while the horizontal leg and the attached seating flange are shorter than in the first embodiment.

FIGS. 9 to 11 illustrated a third embodiment of similar configuration to the first embodiment, but designed for use with larger posts, and optionally larger rails. The illustrated example represents a design compatible with 6×6 posts and either 2×4 rails or 2×6 rails. In the first and second embodiments, the width of the brackets from the bracing flange to the distal end of the horizontal leg was selected to closely match the width of a 4×4 post, and thus measured 3.5 inches. In the third embodiment, each bracket 10″, 10A″ is instead 5.5-inches wide to match the finished width of a 6×6 post. The third embodiment is designed for centered placement of the rail across the post width, like the first embodiment, and so using the same formula as the first embodiment, the seating depth is ½*(5.5−1.5)=2-inches.

To allow optional use of differently sized rails, and more particularly rails of different edge-to-edge face width (which corresponds to the height of the rail in its installed face-out edge-up orientation), the shoulder of each third embodiment bracket 10″, 10A″ features two shoulder flanges 18A, 18B instead of a single shoulder flange spanning the full height from the seating flange 16 to the top end 20 a of the bracket. A notch or slot 210 is cut into the inner edge vertical leg 120 of the blank 200″, as shown in FIG. 10, at a height above the upper bend line 206 that equals the full edge-to-edge face width of the smaller of the two compatible rail sizes. In the finished bracket 10″, 10A″, this creates a gap 19 between the two shoulder flanges 18A, 18B at a height above the seating flange 16 that equals the edge-to-edge face width of the smaller of the two compatible rails sizes. So, in the illustrated embodiment intended for use with either 2×4 or 2×6 rails, the gap 19 is situated at 3.5-inches above the seating flange, i.e. at a height equal to the finished width of a 2×4.

FIG. 11 illustrates use of the third embodiment with a 2×4 rail 104, where in order to set the upper edge 104 b of the rail 104 flush with the flat top of the post, the bracket is fastened to the post in a position aligning the gap 19 with the top end of the post so that the upper shoulder flange 18B resides above the top end of the post, and the lower shoulder flange 18A resides below the top end of the post. The gap 19 between the two shoulder flanges 18A, 18B thus serves as a first visual marker to be aligned with the top end of the post 100 d, 102 d when a first size of rail is to be installed. On the other hand, the distance from the top end 20 a of the bracket down to the seating flange 16 is equal to the edge-to-edge face width of the larger compatible rail size, i.e. 5.5-inches for a 2×6 rail, meaning that the top end 20 a of the bracket serves as a second visual indicator to be aligned with the top end of the post when a larger second size of rail is to be installed. This is illustrated in FIG. 12, where the top end of the bracket is positioned flush with the flat top of the post to place the top edge of a wider 2-6 rail 104′ flush with the top of the post.

It will be appreciated that visually detectable indicators other than the terminal top end 20 a of the bracket's vertical leg or a gap 19, break, notch or slot in the shoulder of the bracket may be used to set the height of the bracket at an appropriate relation to the top of the post for top-flush rail placement.

Finally, FIGS. 13 through 16 illustrate a fourth embodiment in which the brackets 10″′, 10A″′ having the same capacity for different rail sizes as the third embodiment, but have a seating depth calculated in accordance with the second embodiment in order to place either of the two rail sizes (e.g. 2×4 and 2×6, which differ in width but not thickness) in flush relation to the rear outer side of the post, rather than in a centered position midway across the lateral side of the post in centered relation between the two outer sides thereof. The brackets 10″′, 10A″′ and blank 200″′ of the fourth embodiment thus differ from the third embodiment in that the vertical legs of the bracket and blank are wider, and the horizontal legs and seat are shorter.

Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense. 

1. A device for temporarily supporting an end of a rail during installation thereof between a pair of upright posts, said device comprising: a bracket for placement on a first upright post at a lateral side thereof that faces toward a second upright post spaced therefrom, said bracket comprising: an inner face for placement against the lateral side of the first post; an outer face lying opposite the inner face to face toward the second post; an upright bracing flange projecting inwardly from the inner face of the bracket at an upright perimeter edge thereof to reach inwardly from the lateral side of the first post against an adjacent outer side thereof so that the inner face and the bracing flange cooperatively embrace a corner of the post at which the lateral side and the adjacent outer side intersect, thereby squaring the bracket relative to said corner of the post; a seat extending perpendicularly away from the bracing flange to receive an underside of the rail atop said seat in a position placing an end of the rail in close adjacency or abutment with the lateral side of the first post; and an upright shoulder situated above the seat in perpendicular relation thereto and parallel relation to the bracing flange for receiving a face of the rail in abutted contact against the upright shoulder, whereby seating and abutment of the rail against the seat and the upright shoulder of the bracket acts to square the rail with the post.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein the seat comprises a seating flange projecting outwardly away from the outer face of the bracket to define a widened seat area whose width exceeds a thickness dimension of the bracket measured between the inner and outer faces thereof.
 3. The device of claim 1 comprising a tape measure slot in which a catch tab of a tape measure in insertable to enable a post-to-post measurement between the two posts after installation of the device.
 4. The device of claim 1 wherein the shoulder comprises a shoulder flange projecting outwardly away from the outer face of the bracket to define a shoulder width that exceeds a thickness dimension of the bracket measured between the inner and outer faces thereof.
 5. The device of claim 4 comprising a tape measure slot at an intersection of the shoulder flange and the outer face of the bracket to enable insertion of a tape measure catch in said slot to measure the distance between the two posts after installation of the device.
 6. The device of claim 1 wherein the bracket comprises a bent plate having a main portion that defines the inner-and outer faces of the bracket and from which the bracing flange is integrally bent.
 7. The device of claim 2 wherein the bracket comprises a bent plate having a main portion that defines the inner-and outer faces of the bracket and from which the seating flange is integrally bent.
 8. The device of claim 4 wherein the bracket comprises a bent plate having a main portion that defines the inner-and outer faces of the bracket and from which the shoulder flange is integrally bent.
 9. The device of any one of claim 7 wherein the bracing flange is integrally bent from the main portion of the bent plate.
 10. The device of claim 1 wherein an entirety of the bracket is defined by a singular bent plate having a main portion which defines the inner and outer faces and from which other portions of the bracket are integrally bent.
 11. The device of claim 6 wherein the main portion of the bent plate has a vertical leg from which a horizontal leg reaches perpendicularly outward at an elevation below an upper end of the vertical leg, the seat resides atop the horizontal leg, the upright shoulder resides at an inner side of the vertical leg from which the horizontal leg extends, and the bracing flange resides at an opposing outer side of the vertical leg.
 12. The device of claim 11 wherein the main portion of the bent plate is L-shaped and consists solely of said vertical and horizontal legs.
 13. The device of claim 1 wherein the bracket comprises a main portion defining the inner and outer faces and having a vertical leg from which a horizontal leg reaches perpendicularly outward at an elevation below an upper end of the vertical leg, the seat resides atop the horizontal leg, the upright shoulder resides at an inner side of the vertical leg from which the horizontal leg extends, and the bracing flange resides at an opposing outer side of the vertical leg.
 14. The device of claim 13 wherein the main portion of the bracket is L-shaped and consists solely of said vertical and horizontal legs.
 15. The device of claim 1 comprising a fastening hole penetrating the bracket from the outer face thereof to the inner face thereof to enable temporary fastening of the bracket to the lateral side of the post through said fastening hole.
 16. The device of claim 1 wherein a seating depth of the bracket measured from the shoulder to the bracing flange equates to a half-width of the post minus a half-thickness of the rail, whereby the bracket is configured to center the rail across the lateral side of the post.
 17. The device of claim 1 wherein a seating depth of the bracket measured from the shoulder to the bracing flange equates to a full-width of the post minus a full-thickness of the rail, whereby the bracket is configured to place the rail in flush relation to a third side of the post that intersects the lateral side of the post at which the bracket is placed and that is situated opposite the adjacent outer side of the post that is embraced by the bracing flange.
 18. The device of claim 1 comprising a visual marker situated on the bracket and spaced above the seat by a distance that equals a width of the rail, whereby placement of the visual marker in alignment with a top end of the post places a top edge of the rail flush the top end of the post when the rail is placed atop the seat.
 19. The device of claim 18 wherein the visual marker is an upper end of the bracket or an upper end of the shoulder.
 20. The device of claim 16 in combination with the rail and at least one of the posts.
 21. A device for temporarily supporting an end of a rail during installation thereof between a pair of upright posts, said bracket comprising: a planar main portion having a vertical leg that is coplanar with a horizontal leg that reaches perpendicularly outward from the vertical leg at a spaced elevation below a top end of said vertical leg, said planar main portion having opposing inner and outer faces; an upright bracing flange reaching perpendicularly inward from the vertical leg of the planar main portion at an upright outer edge of said vertical leg that resides opposite the horizontal leg of the planar main portion; a seating flange reaching perpendicularly outward from the horizontal leg of the planar main portion at a horizontal upper edge of said horizontal leg; and a shoulder flange reaching perpendicularly outward from the vertical leg of the planar main portion at an upright inner edge of said vertical leg that resides opposite the upright outer edge thereof.
 22. The device of claim 21 wherein the bracket comprises a bent L-shaped plate that defines the L-shaped main portion, and of which the upright bracing flange, the seating flange and the shoulder flange are integrally bent portions.
 23. A method of installing a rail between first and second upright posts that have facing-together lateral sides that intersect adjacent outer sides of said uprights posts at outer corners thereof, said method comprising: (a) with a bracket device having an inside corner, a support seat and a shoulder that resides in perpendicular relation to said support seat, achieving a squared position of said bracket device on the first upright post by embracing the inside corner of said bracket about the outside corner of the first upright post, said squared position acting to (i) place the support seat of said bracket device adjacent to the lateral side of the first upright post in perpendicular relation to the outside corner of the first upright post, and (ii) place the shoulder of said bracket device adjacent to said lateral side of the first upright post in parallel relation to the outside corner of the first upright post at a distance inward therefrom; (b) with said inside corner of the bracket device embraced about the outside corner of the first upright post, fastening the bracket device to the first upright post to maintain the squared position of the bracket device thereon; (c) seating an underside of the rail atop the support seat of the bracket device with a first end of the rail in close adjacency or abutment with the lateral side of the first upright post and with a face of the rail in abutment against the shoulder of the bracket device, and, with a second end of the rail supported on the second upright post, fastening the first end of the rail to the first upright post; and (d) unfastening and removing the bracket device from the first upright post.
 24. The method of claim 23 comprising, before step (c) installing a second matching bracket device on the second post by performing steps (a) and (b) with said second bracket device at said second post, and during step (c), using said second bracket device to support the second end of the rail during fastening of the first end of the rail to the first post.
 25. The method of claim 23 wherein achieving the squared position in step (a) comprises placing a visual marker of the bracket device in alignment with a top end of the first post, and thereby automatically setting an elevation of the seat at a downward distance the top end of the post that equals a predetermined width dimension of the rail so that placement of the rail on the seat in a widthwise-up orientation automatically places a top edge of the rail flush with the top end of the post.
 26. The method of claim 25 wherein the visual marker of the bracket device is an upper end of the bracket device or an upper end of the shoulder thereof.
 27. The method of claim 23 wherein the bracket device is the device of any one of claims 1 to
 22. 